Rome Revision

9: Foundation, Monarchy to Republic

1. History of Rome

History of Republic = 500 years. Can read it as a democratic state or an oligarchic system that gave rights to the people = all readings based on modern history and the time in which it was created.

Our evidence for the Republic comes from later writers – Cicero, Livy, Sallust, some Greek writers. The traditions we have = history or myth? 350 = when we start getting a reliable history of Rome. Nothing of the constitution. No inscriptions. Must question = is the history of Rome mostly 4^th century propaganda.

2. Founding myths

Romulus and Remus = wolf then becomes the symbol of Rome. Myths circulate around many societies and literary traditions repeat each other. Aeneid gives us a founding myth. The variety of myths = contradictory; 754 is the date we have for the founding of Rome but that doesn’t agree with Trojan War chronology. Vergil thus gives some bullshit explanation.

3. Archaeology

Italy develops two different cultures – Villanovan/Etruscans and Latial/italians. Distinguished by different pottery and burial traditions. Main Italic language = Oscan spoken by Samnites.

South = indigenous people and later Greek colonisation of Sicily and southern Italy. Italy = patchwork of diff langauges and people. Etruscans connected w Greek peoples first.

770-600 = proto-urban settlements. Little groups of huts. 600-500 = where we start getting cities and Rome has a perimeter; Forum = paved, temples put up.

4. Kings

Historical/mythical?? Canonical list has 7 kings but there were 8 – ruled together? Many others have claims to kingship also – repetitive of claims in the canonical list of kings. Kings have narrative function before all else. Issues with Tarquini – same people? Myths about figures that may have existed but are just exaggerated. All kings are outsiders – migration of aristocratic rulers who travelled around. Many states had rulers of different ethnicities – the elite would shift quickly.

Official called ‘rex’ early on = is that the origin of the kings we think we know? Evidence suggests the ‘rex’ was a priestly office.

Central Italy = moving to an urbanised society w social mobility.

5. Republic

Distinctive due to senate and assembly of the people. Essence of republic can be seen with consuls – codified a record of consuls though the early list is unreliable. Praetors = weird.

Traditions of early Rome do not align with our traditional image of Republic.

650-450 = shifting political system to various aristocratic leaders working together – fluid system as they figure out rules. 368 = establishment of political system as we know it.

6. 495-287

Struggle of the Orders = battle between patricians and plebeian elite. The patricians emerge = a closed group, stop outsiders stealing their power, self-defined club.

Emergence of Senate = chose the kings, old men who were consulted about decisions. Emerges 4^th century? Becomes formalised into a static body, in 200 we know consuls were chosen by the senate.

Artistocratic method of policing opponents = voting allowed to only certain people, similar with laws.

Struggle of the Orders = new Roman aristocracy and the emergence of popular power. Also see the development of an army to protect the land.

Abolition of nxum = to do with obligation and tying yourself to certain aristocrats.

7. The Francois tomb at Vulci

Lavish family tombs with paintings inside (= dedications). Vulci – conquered 280BC, major Etruscan city.

Owes most influence to Greeks and Greek myth = scenes from Troy and the Theban cycle.

Rome has battles with Tarquinians and Vulci – scenes show Vulci killing foreigners. Can see repetitive literary traditions cycling through diff societies.

8. Early Rome and Roman law – 12 Tables

We have fragments of the 12 tables = first law code in 452. Earliest code of law for Roman tablets. Decemviri appointed in 452 to draw up laws and unwritten customs. Largely know about the 12 tables from quotations. Many principles carry down through the centuries.

9. Women in Rome

Owned by father and then husband. Naming of daughters shows how they do not have their own identity = take the family name.

BIOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT OF AUTHOR: Livy

Livy = 59BCE-17CE. Wrote a monumental history of Rome in 142 books – writing in the reign of Augustus. On familiar terms with the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Wished to "preserve the memory of the deeds of the world’s preeminent nation" = clear what his intentions are and his feelings towards Rome are?

SUMMARY OF WORKS:

Ab Urbe Condita = 142 books of which 1-10 and 21-45 survive complete. Ranges from Rome’s foundational myths to his own time. Book 1 = narrates some of the most famous legends of the Roman past such as the Rape of the Sabines and the Rape of Lucretia.

How should we read ‘legendary’ history like this, written long after the events they supposedly describe? Some basis of truth btu inaccurate amounts of detail. Reflection of Roman ideals and their opinion of themselves – constructing an identity rather than recording a history.

1.9-10: the rape of the Sabine women.

• Glorifies Rome but does not comment on this barbaric act.

• Tracks the importance of the temple of Jupiter using this story.

• Portrays Romulus in a positive light?

• Retroactively explains Rome’s origin and grandness – conflates their current state with their past.

1.57-60: the legend of Lucretia.

• Focus on the mistreatment of the plebians.

• Lucretia = paragon of virtue, the original Roman matrona = used as an example for women in the present day?

• Lucretia is an excuse to riot – they tolerated the deep-seated issues of kingship until Lucretia provided an easy excuse.

• Roman ideal of severitas with Brutus while Tarquinius is a servant to his passion.

• Lucretia’s death = symbolic, hyperbolic.

10: Roman Republic: Warfare and Conquest

1. Warfare and Conquests

Phase 1 – 500-259BC – conquered Italy:

• Tradition has it that Rome made a treaty w Carthage and expelled the kings in 509 – too suspect. Roman dating =...

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